The past couple months of my race have been a whirlwind of emotions and events. I’ll give a nutshell of what I’ve done in the past couple months. It a somewhat lengthy blog but stay with me!
Thailand we worked with a pastor and his home church with him and his family. We went to local villages throughout the area and visited his friends that he hasn’t seen in a while, some people he used to disciple, and sometimes we went to random houses and villages teaching them about God or giving a quick story about something that God has done in our lives. Now, I cannot put any judgment on it but sometimes my team and I thought we were “speed saving”, if you will. Our translator and pastor would just want to go in and give that word and then leave. We felt like we didn’t get to build any relationships with the locals. However, again, there’s no judgment. We were there for a reason. We became very close with the family and out translator, and were really able to poor into them. During one Sunday I preached on how no matter what we do…God is still pursuing us, and he has pursued us since the beginning of time. I think this was my first time ever preaching, and it felt so good!
Next stop was Cambodia, and I had no idea what to expect. We had debrief here for 4 days which was fun. Some people came out from WR (World Race) to talk and see how we are all doing, just do some things to learn and build each other up. For a small example, we did an activity where we stared in another person’s eyes for 1 minute and talked how we felt, and Sean explained his reasoning for doing it. We also did a talent show and it was optional, but they told me I HAD to play a song on my guitar. My leaders know I love my guitar but I’m terrified to play in front of people. So…I “made up” a song and no idea what to do. It was just a couple sentences and a couple random chords. I played in front of my 46 squad mates and all the WR staff that came out. By the end of it I was almost in tears and afterwards everyone said they absolutely loved it and several said they began to cry because it was just me pouring my heart out to God with how I was feeling about life. I guess they all felt my heart on it. So that opened up a door for me because that was the first time I’ve played a song on my guitar in front of people.
Cambodia was, at the time, my favorite month on the Race. We worked with RFC (Rock Foundation Cambodia) which was an American man, Brett, and his wife. He moved to Cambodia several years ago after going there on a trip previously with YWAM. Now he has started his amazing ministry there about 1 year ago. I related to Brett so much. Brett is a young guy with tattoos, loves to ride dirt bikes, and whose purpose out there is to go out to where no one wants to go, and build people up. He is all about building the relationships and doing everything he can to simply help others with what they need. So in Cambodia we worked with about 4 different very poor villages we called the dump village where a family made about $15 a month, the flood village who literally lives in a ditch, the rock village where they broke boulders off the side of a mountain and then into smaller gravel sized rocks to make $20-25 a month per family. Then we went to the homes around where we lived. In these villages we built very good relationships, heard many, many people’s hearts on life and everything. Every Friday we made a dinner for the rock village and in several villages we had bible studies where the people were excited for them! This was all so, so incredible because of the time Brett, his wife, and Pastor Thyvenn had already poured into these people, made friends, got close, built a total of about 25 homes, and really just loved how Jesus loves, and went literally where no one else goes or would want to go help. We also worked with Pastor Thyvenn who became an incredible friend who I hope I will see again. He has a little wooden church in a neighborhood and we taught English there 3 days a week, and again just got to know the neighboring people and build the relationships. I had to “preach” again and I had no idea, but then I thought about washing feet! So I read about Jesus washing the Disciples feet and explained it. Then everyone washed everyone’s feet in some buckets I had got! It was so awesome! Everybody loved it. No one had ever experienced it before.
In short, Cambodia is a place I would love to go back to. There’s so much I could see myself doing there! And the kids are awesome! Oh and us guys also we to Brett’s property, camped out for a couple days and worked, cleaning and cutting all the brush and clearing around the 100 mango trees. It was hard HOT work, but it was great! OH YEAA! I also rented a Honda XR 250 dirt bike for most of the month and I was able to have a ton of fun on that and I had a little taste of some freedom!
Last month I was in Vietnam and it to, was incredible. I’ll save that for another blog. Now I’m in Malaysia. Thanks for stickin with me! And I’m still in desperate need of support!!! I need about $2500 in the next couple days. PLEASE help me and do what you can do!!!! I must continue to Africa!
